10 gigabytes of measurement data to document world record tour from cape to cape

HBM: The goal of Mannheim resident Rainer Zietlow was to write world record history with the "Cape-to-Cape 2.0" project – and he did just that: In exactly 9 days, 4 hours, 9 minutes and 27 seconds, he and two other passengers traversed Africa and Europe from cape to cape in a Volkswagen Touareg. Products from measurement technology specialist HBM Test and Measurement (HBM) were on board for reliable data acquisition, despite adverse environmental conditions including heat, dust and vibrations.

On the move around the clock for almost ten days in a Volkswagen Touareg, through the most diverse range of climate zones and cultures: Those were the basic requirements for Rainer Zietlow and his team in the Cape-to-Cape 2.0 world record tour. Starting at 10 am on September 11 from Cape Agulhas in South Africa, and heading for North Cape in Norway, the team crossed 21 countries, fretting at every border station whether they would succeed in their goal to cross two continents in record time.

To examine the mechanical stress on the vehicle during such a demanding tour, the Volkswagen Touareg was equipped with HBM measurement technology. The crucial element was a SomatXR data recorder, which continuously records the temperature and acceleration data of the vehicle as well as data from the strain gauges installed in it. The data was first evaluated with the nCode-Glyphworks analysis software from HBM. This will be used for further optimization of the vehicle for future world record tours.

Altogether SomatXR recorded 10 gigabytes of measurement data during the record tour, proving itself as an ultra-rugged measurement system in its ability to resist extreme heat and cold, dust, vibrations and shocks (in the potholes), which can cause significant problems for conventional measuring equipment.